Raul with some of the Cards from Ireland

At the invitation of Guerrero based ´Tlachinollan Human Rights Centre´ I had the inspiring opportunity to witness an historic event last Wed (18th nov 2009): Two indigenous women, both former Amnesty International prisoners of conscience left their communities once more to make a trip to a Mexican Jail. This time however instead of being accompanied by their arresting officers, they went along with a group of local, national and international human rights organisations to make a solidarity visit to another indigenous activist and Amnesty International prisoner of conscience, Raul Hernandez.

Related Links:
More info on Raul | More info on Jacinta | More Info on Obtelia | More Info on Magdalena

View of Mathare built in a quarry

The 21st of November marks the United Nations ‘World television Day’.

Television can be a tremendous force for good. It can educate great numbers of people about the world around them. It can show us how much we have in common with our neighbours, near and far. And, it can shed light on the dark corners, where ignorance and hatred fester.

The television industry is also in a unique position to promote mutual understanding and tolerance -– with content that tells the stories not just about the powerful, but about the powerless, and not just about life in the world’s richest pockets, but also in the developing countries that are home to the majority of the world’s population’.

Slum TV: by Paula Geraghty

1% of the population owns 34% of the wealth
It's time for THEM to share the pain.

The rich remain rich and the rest of us are supposed to keep them that way. That’s why we get pay cuts, health cuts, education cuts, job cuts. It’s not as if dipping into the pockets of PAYE workers is the only way to foot bills. A mere 5% of the Irish population own 40% of the wealth. And a tiny 1% own most of it (34%). What pinko fantasist came up with these figures, asks the cynic. Well, it was that well-known radical outfit, the Bank of Ireland (in its Wealth of the Nation report).

A Rallying Call from the Anarchists:

Our strength lies in the fact that we do the work. Without us there are no busses or trains, no deliveries to shops, no teaching in schools, no production, no services, nothing. We have a great power in our hands if we stand together. The time has gone beyond protest, now we need to use our muscle in defence of ourselves, our families, the retired and people on social welfare.

Hollman Morris

Hollman in a more Columbian setting

Related Links:
Hollman speaks on Youtube
Link to the Latin American Solidarity site (Lasc)
Amnesty library listing for Holman Morris
Holman's Facebook page

As workers fight Fianna fail and the Green partyy's neoliberal attacks, now is a good time to learn from the fightback against Thatcherism in the 1980s with this video of Arthur Scargill discussing the Miners Strike.
http://www.vimeo.com/7589961

Related Links:
The Art of Scargill - Audio Interview with Scargill before this talk.
An Interview with Arthur Scargill - Text Interview with Scargill before this talk